Cabriaae-sprinor



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BOLD R. HOOD, OF CLINTON, NORTH CAROLINA.

GARRIAGESPRING.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 18,451, dated October 20, 1857.

To all whom, it may concern:

' Be it known that I, BOLD R. HOOD, of Clinton, in the county of Samson and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Carriage-Springs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1, is a plan view, Fig. 2, is a rear end View, and Fig. 3, is a side view of the running gear of a carriage with my improvements applied to it.

Similar letters of reference in each of the several figures indicate corresponding parts.

The nature of my invention consists in two auxiliary springs coiled in opposite directions in the path of vertical scrolls, around a horizontal central pin or support of the reach, and attached by their outer or terminating ends, one to the front and the other to the rear elliptic springs of a carriage, this arrangement producing a very firm structure which will assist the ordinary elliptic springs in their oflice, and so brace, support and regulate or control the motions and actions of the same as to render more gentle and comfortable carriage riding over rough and uneven roads, and at the same time secure the elliptic springs against being broken or damaged as they are strained or rocked back and forward by the longitudinal vibrations of the carriage body.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A, A, are the axles, B, the reach and C, C, brace bars.

D, D, are ordinary elliptic springs attached to the front and hind axles A, A.

E, is the frame which rests upon the springs D, D, and supports the body.

F, F, are the central auxiliary springs. They are made, preferably, of round steel rods which are coiled vertically, and so as to form a series of scrolls of gradually increasing size as shown. Being thus constructed, one is attached securely by its inner end to a transverse, horizontal central bolt G, of the reach, and then by its outer or terminating end to the rear elliptic spring, and the other in like manner to the same bolt, but so as to stand on the opposite side of the reach, and to act in a contrary manner to it, being fastened by its outer or terminating end to the front elliptic spring. Although these springs are placed to act 0ppositely to one another, and to perform each its separate duty, one does not interfere materially with the action of the other, as the coils allow the opposing spring to yield with the one being directly acted upon, and thus while they do not seriously oppose, they as sist each other, and effect the retention of the elliptic springs in a perpendicular position under ordinary circumstances, and if under extraordinary circumstances, the elliptic springs should be pressed forward or backward out of a perpendicular position, the coil springs instantaneously, after the cause for such change in the position of the elliptic springs is removed, compel the elliptic springs to assume their proper perpendicular position.

It will be evident that the tendency of the action of the scroll springs is strongly upward, and that consequently they assist the elliptic springs in supporting the body of the carriage, in a manner however, not to render them rigid and so as to incommode the passengers within the carriage, as the elasticity of the scroll coils admit a slight forward or backward motion, accordingly as the body may be pitched, of said elliptic springs so as to relieve and accommodate the motion of the carriage body without endangering the elliptic springs.

I am aware that auxiliary springs have been carried from the center of the reach to the ends of the carriage body or connected with the transverse springs; therefore I do not claim broadly the use of auxiliary springs irrespective of their peculiar construction and arrangement, but

What I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination and arrangement of the springs F, F, with the springs D, D, as herein described for the purpose set forth.

The above specification of my improve- BOLD R. HOOD.

Witnesses:

MUNN & Co., Gr. Y. AT LEE. 

